Pencil.



No. 853,098. PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

F. H LIPPINGOTT. PENCIL.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV.2'l, 1906.

1-1-1: Nokaiis PITERS c0, wAsHmcrcm-n. c,

nnrrn I STATES ATENT OFFICE.

FISHER H. LIPPINCOTT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TOLIPPINCOTT PENCIL COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATIONOF PENNSYLVANIA.

PENCIL.

Patented May 7, 1907.

Application filed November 27, 1906. Serial No. 345,276.

To It whmn it natty concern:

Be it kn own that I, FISHER H. LIPPINooTT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented .certain new and usefulImprovements in Pendered capable of being reloaded when an in sert.

ser't placed therein is entirely used up.

The construction of my invention will appear from the followingdescription in which reference is had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification, in which like numerals ofreference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,wherein,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pencil constructed in accordance withmy invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in central longitudinalsection showing one embodiment of my invention in connection with a leadin- Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a slightly modified embodiment ofthe invention in which a portion of the brake shoe is roughened. Fig. 4is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of the follower and its brakingshoe above referred to. Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly in section ofa further modification of my invention in which the surrounding sleeveis omitted. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the modification shown in Fig. 5but with the holder enlarged for the reception of a crayon or erasingrubber insert and with the spring and surrounding sleeve omitted. Fig. 7is a transverse sectional view taken on line AA of Fig. 5, the showingof the insert grasping element of the follower being omitted forclearness of illustration, and Fig. 8 is a similar view showing amodified form of brake shoe.

Referring specifically to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 1designates a holder formed with a longitudinal bore 2 extendingtherethrough, a longitudinal slot 3' communicating with said bore and alongitudinal recess 4 communicating with said bore along a linediametrically opposite the slot 3. The end of the holder is closed by anornamental cap plate 5, which may hold an eraser or other attachment.Within the holder 1 an insert 6 is movable. The insert 6 is preferablyfrictionally held by a suitably constructed sleeve 7 arranged within thepointed end 8. The sleeve 7 may be of any desired construction ormaterial to serve the purposes for which it is designed. The insert 6may be of varying sizes andv materials, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5 showing theuse of a lead insert, and Fig. 6 showing the use of an insert of greaterdi ameter, such as crayon or erasing rubber.

My invention is employed in connection with a pencil constructed of thetype above referred to, and specifically comprises a follower in whichis embodied a means for gripping and moving the insert, a means forpreventing the accidental rearward displacement of said follower andmeans for engaging and disengaging said last named or braking means. Iaccordingly employ a follower 9, preferably formed of sheet metal stockand having forwardly extending spaced parallel jaws 10 looselyinterfitting and movable within the adjacent slot 3 and recess 4. Theinsert 6 is frictionally held between the jaws 10. The body portion ofthe follower in the preferred embodiment of the invention is formed witha rearwardly and downwardly extending upper edge 11 and the rear portionof the follower terminates in an upwardly extending arm 12, whichprojects through the slot 3 and slightly beyond the surface of theholder 1. The means employed in combination with the body portion of thefollower for braking the rearward movement thereof comprises a shoe 13having its lower edge inclined as at 14 and movably bearing upon theedge 11. The shoe 13 is likewise formed in its rear portion with anupwardly extending arm 15, arranged in spaced parallelism to the arm 12.In the preferred embodiment of the invention the shoe 13 is normallyforced to the limit of its forward movement or play with relation to thebody portions of the follower 9 by an expansive coil spring 16interposed between the arms 12 and 15. Surrounding the holder '1 andinclosing the arms 12 and 15 is a sleeve 17 of reduced diameter at itsside edges 18 so as to snugly fit the exterior surface of the holder 1,irrespective of its conformation. The sleeve 17 is, for purposes to bedescribed, formed at its central portion of a greater diameter than thatof the ends and the length of the portion having such increased diameteris approximately equal to the distance between the extreme side edges ofthe arms 12 and 15, whereby movement of said sleeve in one directionwill engage the arm 12 and move the follower, and movement of the sleevein a reverse direction will engage the arm and move the brake shoe 13out of engagement with the body portion of the fol lower. It will ofcourse be understood that the reduced ends 18 of the sleeve serve toafford shoulders which engage the adjacent arms 12 or 15.

The above description sets forth the preferred embodiment of theinvention, but the invention is susceptible of various modificationswhich, while embodying the basic principles of operation andconstruction, differ from the embodiment described in specificstructural details. Figs. 5 to 8 are therefore to be regarded asexamples of some of the modifications of which the invention issusceptible. In Fig. 5 I have shown a pencil constructed with thefollower and eo-related elements as above described, but from which thesleeve 17 is omitted in order that the parts may be controlled by thepressure of the fingers. Fig. 6 illustrates a similar embodiment whichdiffers only from the construction previously described in the omissionof both the sleeve 17 and the spring 16, the gravitatingaction of theshoe in the natural inclined position of the pencil being re lied on tocarry out the braking function.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate details of construction which as shown areapplied to the brake .shoe 13, but which may equally as advantageouslybe applied to the follower. In Fig. 7 the inclined edge of the shoe isbent laterally upon itself as at 19 so as to afford a bearing surface ofincreased width and area. In Fig. 8 the stock of the shoe is made ofgreater width or thickness for the same reason.

It will be readily understood that the braking function of the shoe 18may in some in stances be facilitated by serrating or roughening thesurface of the shoe 13 which comes in contact with the walls of the bore2, as is illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 6.

In practical use when the point of the pencil becomes worn down and itis desired to protrude the insert from the holder to provide a newpoint, the sleeve 17 is pushed toward the pointed extremity 8 and insuch action moves the follower and consequently the insert in the mannerabove described. In the course of writing or other uses for which thedevice is adapted, the pressure ssaoss upon the insert would naturallytend to force the same rearward, but this pressure is counteracted bythe shoe 13 which, being forced to the limit of its forward movement,either by the spring 16 or by its weight, with relation to the follower9, will engage the inclined edge of said follower and force the same tobind against the edge of the recess 4. The shoe itself likewise bindsagainst the adjacent surface of the bore 2. It will thus be seen thataccidental rearward displacement of the follower under the pressure ofuse is rendered impossible. Should the insert be withdrawn too far fromthe holder, the follower 9 is moved rearwardly by a rearward movement ofthe sleeve 17 which first engages the arm 15 to release the shoe 13 fromthe follower and then moves the follower rearwardly as an entirety.

The functions above described for the sleeve are of course performed bythe fingers of the user, in the constructions illustrated in Figs. 5 and6. Inasmuch as the follower 9 can be moved in either direction, it willbe readily apparent that the inserts 6 may be changed or renewedwhenever so desired, it being only necessary to withdraw one from andinsert another between the jaws 10.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1.. In a device of the character described, an elongated holder providedwith a longitudinal bore, a follower in said bore adapted to be widenedor expanded within said bore to bring portions thereof into frictionallocking engagement with said holder, and means extending without saidholder for effecting and destroying such locking engagement.

' 2. In a device of the character described, an elongated holderprovided with a longitudinal bore, an insert in said bore, a followerdisposed rearwardly of said. insert, said follower being adapted to bewidened or expanded within said bore to bring portions thereof intofrictional locking engagement with said holder upon the application ofpressure tending to move said follower rear-' wardly, and means forthrowing said follower out of locking engagement with said holder.

3. In a device of the character described, an elongated holder providedwith a longitudinal bore, a follower in said-bore having coacting partsadapted to be widened or expanded within said bore into frictionallooking engagement with said holder upon the application of pressuretending to move the said follower rearwardly, one of said coacting partshaving a serrated or toothed portion adapted to be pressed against saidholder, and means for throwing said serrated or toothed portion out ofengagement with the said holder.

4. In a device of the character described, an elongated holder providedwith a longitudinal bore and a slot extending through the side of saidholder and communicating .with said bore, a follower in said borecomprising relatively movable parts adapted to .be forced outwardagainst the said holder and means secured to saidparts and projectingthrough said slot for moving said parts relatively to each other.

5. In a device of the character described, an elongated holder providedwith a longitudinal bore, a follower in said bore adapted to grasp alead or other insert, said follower having one or more portions thereofadapted to move outward into frictional locking engagement with saidholder upon the application of pressure tending to move said followerrearwardly, and means for destroying the locking engagement 'between thefollower and holder, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character described, an elongatedholder providedwith a longitudinal bore and a slot extending through the side of saidholder and communicating with said bore, a follower in said bore,frictional locking means embodied in said follower adapted to be forcedoutwardly into frictional contact with the walls of said bore to preventthe rearward movement of said follower upon the application of pressuretending to move the same rearwardly, means extending through said slotfor moving said follower longitudinally of said bore, and meansassociated with said last named means for throwing the frictionallocking means out of engagement with the walls of said bore.

7. In a device of the type set forth, an elongated holder provided witha longitudinal bore, and a slot extending through the side of saidholder and communicating with said bore, a follower in said bore, saidfollower comprising relatively movable parts adapted to be movedoutwardly into frictional locking engagement with said holder upon theapplication of pressure tending tomove said follower rearwardly, meansfor normally holding said relatively movable parts in frictional contactwith said holder, means carried by said follower, and extending throughsaid slot for moving the follower longitudinally of said bore, and meansfor destroying the locking engagement between the follower and saidholder.

8 In a device of the character described, an elongated holder providedwith a longitudinal bore and a slot extending through the side of saidholder and communicating with said bore, a follower in said boreprovided with friction clutch mechanism adapted to lock said follower inany desired position in said holder, means projecting through said slotadapted upon the application of pressure thereto in one directionlongitudinally of the holder to automatically release said clutchmechanism and permit the movement of the follower in the said direction,and means projecting through said slot adapted upon the application ofpressure thereto in the opposite direction to automatically release saidclutch mechanism and permit of the movement of the follower in the lastnamed direction.

9. Ina device of the character described, an elongated holder providedwith a longitu dinal bore and a slot extending through the side of saidholder and communicating with said bore, a follower in said boreprovided with a friction clutch mechanism adapted to lock said followerin any desired position in said holder, means projecting through saidslot adapted upon the application of pressure in one longitudinaldirection or the other to throw said clutch mechanism into and out ofoperative engagement, and a sleeve surrounding said means and adapted toengage therewith and upon movement in either direction to release saidclutch mechanism and permit of the movement of the follower therewith.

10. In a device of the character described, an elongated holder providedwith a longitudinal bore, a follower in said bore having a toothedportion, said follower being adapted to be widened or expanded withinsaid bore to bring said toothed portion into locking engagement withsaid holder and means extending without said holder for effecting anddestroying said locking engagement.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FISHER H. LIPPINCOTT.

Witnesses:

EMERSON CONRAD, IRENE IVIAOKAY

